By: Yusuf M Hasan
HARGEISA (Somalilandsun) – The finance minister Abdiaziz Samale has been asked to desist from labeling Somaliland citizens vying for top leadership posts as clan heads.
This caution was issued by a member of the Somaliland house of representatives MP Abdiqadir Askar Hasan through a lengthily letter submitted to media houses in which he castigated the finance minister for what he, MP, termed as continuous attacks against the leaders of the three national political parties Abdirahman Irro-Wadani, Musa Behi-Kulmiye and Jamal Ali the youthful UCID party presidential contender.
“I submit this protest against the never ending attacks directed against prominent Somalilanders seeking or holding top posts in the country by the finance minister Abdiaziz Samale” said MP Askar in his press statement.
Urging Samale to conduct himself in a manner befitting a senior cabinet minister thence refrain from utterances that demean the prestige of president Silanyo, his boss, MP Askar in his lengthily Somalia language statement advised the minister to await his chance for the top job and leave those that have currently expressed their positions alone.
“We are tired of the constant outbreaks of abusive verbosity emanating from you; Finance Minister Abdiaziz Samale that you as a religious scholar of repute should know is not apt thence unworthy of you”
The scathing statement by MP Abdiqadir Askar was in reaction to regular Abdiaziz Samale abuses directed towards the three leaders whom he, Samale, accuses of seeking higher political office not as national leaders but veiled under clan gowns.
To confirm that it was instead Samale who was clan disposed and not the three leaders MP Askar wrote that during his almost 2 years tenure as finance minister, Samale has visited his Allaybade and Wajale home district in Gabile region 13 times for purposes of initiating development projects thus earning the title of Gabile minister of finance.
“Just be aware that Somalilanders from other urban and rural areas of the country as far apart as Lowy ‘ado, Dururqsi, Balidhig, Buhodle, Hingalool and Elayo are not only questioning your leadership capabilities but are slowly withdrawing their support for the ruling party because of your overt clan tendencies.
This is not the first time for Minister Samale to be accused of clan leanings as diverse allegations have been issued in the past especially as pertains to recruitment in the finance ministry said to be 97% in favour of his kinsmen since he took office.
At a luncheon he hosted on Saturday for members of his Sa’ad Muse Clan the Finance Minister announced his candidature for the chairmanship of the ruling Kulmiye party during its planned General Assembly to be held this March
Without support to either MP Askar or Finance minister Samale the irony of the accusations is that Musa Behi bears the hottest brunt notwithstanding that he is chair of the ruling Kulmiye party of which Samale is a senior member of not to mention that he owes his current post as Somaliland Finance minister to the party.
It is obvious that the Behi connection emanate from Samale’s quest for the top party seat and subsequent future presidential candidature it entails as can be ascertained by a March 2014 luncheon he hosted for members of his sub-clan at a Hargeisa hotel where ,he, the Finance Minister announced his candidature for the chairmanship of the ruling Kulmiye party during its planned General Assembly , a move that came to nought.
